Machine for molding top-lifts.



v B. P MAYOL MAGHINB'POR MOLDING TOP LIFTS.

APPLICATION FILED PBB.20, 1907.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F. MAYO, 0F SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOEMACHINERY COMPANY, OF PA'IERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

MACHINE FOR MOLDING TOP-LIFTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. 26, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. MAYO, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines forMolding Top-Lifts, of which the following description, in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like referencecharacters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to machines for molding and condensing, or forsimply molding top lifts for the heels of boots and shoes, and itrelates especially to the dies or molding parts used in such a machine.

It is desirable in molding a top lift to give to its edge a bevel orinclination so that in the manufacture of a heel having a considerablepitch or bevel, such as a military heel for example, there will be aminimum waste of material as a result of the heel trimming operation.With the molds or dies commonly used for producing beveled top lifts,however, a fin or ragged corner is very likely to be formed at the lineof junction of the ,tread face and the curved edge during the moldingoperation by reason of the occurrence of a crevice between the die whichacts upon the tread face and the die or dies which produce the bevelededge of the top lift. As a result, the corner and the portion of theedge of the top lift adjacent the tread face are poorly molded,impairing the appearance and wearing qualities of the finished heel andfurnishing an irregular and uneven surface which, according to usualpractice, must be used as a guide for the trimming cutters during theoperation of trimming the heel upon a heel trimming machine. Moreover,since a narrow portion of the edge of the top lift adjacent the treadface serves as a guiding surface in the heel trimming operation, as justindicated, it is desirable, even although the greater portion of theedge of the top lift is beveled, to leave the portion of the edgeimmediately adjacent the tread face not beveled but perpendicular tosuch face.

It is a primary object of the present invention, therefore, to providemolds for shaping, and preferably also for condensing, top lifts whichshall include, in addition to the other necessary molding parts or dies,a die or dies, for acting upon the edge of the top lift, the actingsurfaces of which shall comprise two portions, one beveled and anotherperpendicular to the molding surface of the die which acts upon thetread face.

Preferably, the die or dies which form the beveled edge are madeadjustable, in the direction of the thickness of the top lift,relatively to the die which acts upon the tread face so that it ispossible to vary the height of that part of the molding chamber whichforms the perpendicular portion of the edge of the top lift. It isusually desirable also to have the bevel greatest at the rear of the toplift with less bevel or inclination at the breast edge, which isgenerally perpendicular.

Herein the term perpendicular, as applied to the description of the edgeof the top lift, is employed to mean perpendicular.

to the faces, and especially the tread face, in contra-distinction tothe term beveled.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear fromthe following detailed description and the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation,partly in section,'showing molding parts or dies embodying the presentinventionin its preferred form, with a condensed top lift shown withinthe molding chamber; Fig. 2 is a view in perspective ofthe molding partsseparated from each other; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view-of a toplift which is produced by the use of the dies shown in Figs. land 2. I

In the drawings, 2 represents the upper die, commonly called thefollower; 4, the side dies; 6, the breast die or plate; and 8, the lowerdie or pressure plate, all of which together form the molding chamber.These parts, except as herein set forth, are or may be similar to thecorresponding parts now in use in a well known machine employed forcondensing top lifts, and these parts are or maybe actuated to mold thetop lift in the same manner as in said machine and substantially as inLetters Patent of the United States No. 776,787, granted December 6,1904. It will be sufficient to state that the dies 2 and 8 are movedtoward each other to mold the top lift and that, during such movement,the side dies 4 and the breast die 6 are moved toward each other so thatthe top lift blank to be compressed and molded perpendicular surface 16.

is completely inclosed by the dies and subjected to the necessarypressure.

As shown in the drawings, the side dies are somewhat beveled near thetop, as at 10, in order that the upper die 2 may easily enter betweenthem. Below this beveled surface is provided a perpendicular surface 12in which the die 2 moves during the molding operation. The portions ofthe side dies which give the final shape to the top lift comprise thebeveled surface 14, just below the perpendicular surface 12, and the Asindicated in the drawings, the lower die 8' does'not eX- tend upwardlyinto the molding chamber as far was the beveled surface 14 so that aportion of the surface 16 is effective to shape the lower portion of theedge of the top lift. During the molding operation, the die 8 has novertical movement relatively to the side dies 4, but, in order that theheight of the perpendicular portion 16, which is effective in moldingthe top lift, may be varied, plates or shims 18 may be interposedbetween the die 8 and the'movable cross-head or bed 20. These plates 18may be removed readily from the machine and, if desired, otherssubstituted so that while the vertical position of the lower die 8relatively to the side dies 4 may be adjusted yet, after an adjustmenthas been made, the portion of the surface 16 which shall be eifective inthe molding operation is positively pr ede termined. As above indicatedthe'angle of the bevel 14 is usually made greatest at the rear and lessor, it may be, m'l at the front or breast.

In practical use, the adjustment of the machine is such that, when thetop lift is under its maximum pressure and the dies are in final moldingposition, the side dies 4 and breast die 6 are tightly closed togetherto leave no appreciable crack or crevice between them, the upper die 2fits tightly within the perpendicular portion 12 of the side dies withits lower face substantially in the plane of the junction of surfaces 12and 14, and the lower die tightly fits the surfaces 16 of the side diesand the vertical surface of the breast die 6, the upper face of thelower die being a predetermined distance below the line of junction ofsurfaces 14 and 16. It will be noted that, when the dies are in thisposition, they inclose a molding chamber which has a total height equalto that of a condensed top lift consisting of a single thickness of soleleather and that the 1 beveled portion 14 and the active part of theperpendicular portion 16 are each of less height than a single top lift.It is to be understood, however, that the machine illustrated could beused for operating upon pieced top lifts as well as top lifts made of asingle piece of leather.

By the use of a machine constructed as rental has just been described,the top lift A, produced will have an edge comprising a beveled portion,such as E, Fig. 3, and a perpendicular portion F, the breast edge Dbeing generally perpendicular, although it may be otherwise if desired.The corner of the top lift, that is the line of junction be tween thetread face C and the perpendicu- Having described my invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis 1. In a machine for molding top lifts, dies through which a moldingpressure is exertr ed upon the faces and edges of a top 11ft consistingof a single thickness of sole leather, the portions of the dies whichengage the edge of the top lift at the sides and rear having in sectiona shape defined by two angularly disposed straight lines, one inclinedand one perpendicular to the acting surface of the lower face die, andmeans for positioning one face die relatively to the edge dies withprovision for relative adjustment to a predetermined extent in adirection perpendicular to the face of said face die.

2. In a machine for molding top lifts, a

beveled and perpendicular portions of which the beveled portioncomprises the greater part but not the whole of the acting surface ofthe edge dies, is of less height than the thickness of the molded toplift and has an inclination diminishing from the rear toward the breast.

3. In a machine for molding and condensing top lifts, a plurality ofrelatively movable dies through which great pressure is exerted bothupon the faces and the edge of a top lift to shape and condense it, saiddies being constructed and arranged to inclose, when in moldingposition, a chamber of the area and height of a condensed top liftconsisting of a' single thickness of sole leather,

such engaging portions being of less height than the thickness of thetop lift and the active perpendicular portion being of lesser heightthan the beveled portion.

4. In a machine for molding top lifts, relatively movable side dies, theinner surfaces of those side dies which act upon the edge of the toplift at the rear and sides being beveled at the top and having alsoanother beveled portlon between two straight portions, a verticallyadjustable bottom die for acting upon the lower or tread face of a toplift said'bottom die being non-movable vertically during the moldingoperation relatively to the side dies, and an upper die for acting uponthe upper face of the top lift, all of said dies being relativelymovable so that they may be brought together with the upper face ofwithin a perpendicular portion of the side dies with its lower face atsubstantially the line of junction of the beveled portion with suchperpendicular portion, whereby a top lift is produced which has an edgewith an upper portion beveled and a narrow lower portion adjacent thetread face perpendicular to said face.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BENJAMIN F. MAYO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

